With all the different streaming services vying for your attention these days, some of the smaller (and lesser-known) ones tend to get lost in the shuffle. But that doesn't mean they don't have a rich offering of interesting movies and TV shows.
AMC Plus may have started out with the intention of only showcasing series from the AMC cable channel, but the network has since taken off. Not only has it licensed shows from other networks, it’s also slated for a number of ambitious co-productions and developed its own originals that air simultaneously on streaming and AMC. From original sci-fi and fantasy projects to high-profile dramas, AMC Plus has a little something for everyone.
'Mad Men'
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It's a no-brainer, right? “Mad Men” is not only one of the best shows on AMC Plus, it's also one of the best TV shows ever. Starring Jon Hamm as the enigmatic Don Draper, it tells the story of a New York advertising agency during the turbulent 1960s.
While Don is the centerpiece of the show, one of “Mad Men’s” greatest assets is its supporting cast, with standout performances from Elisabeth Moss, Christina Hendricks and Vincent Kartheiser, among others. The show sits comfortably in the heart of the golden age of modern television, with often incredibly emotional but always interesting storylines. The Season 4 episode “The Suitcase” alone earns it a spot on any respectable best-of list.
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“Being human”
What happens when a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf end up sharing an apartment? Lots of supernatural shenanigans, we can tell you. Starring Aidan Turner, Lenora Crichlow and Russell Tovey (though all three left the show during its five-season run), “Being Human” was known for its deft touch, bringing a whimsical and often quite funny tone to otherwise dark events.
The series captured the hearts and minds of audiences, earning it a surprisingly successful American reboot that aired for four seasons on Syfy (and is now also available to stream on AMC Plus, in case you want to watch both and do a comparative analysis).
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“Kevin can go fuck himself”
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You know when you watch old comedies about a bumbling son and his incredibly well-behaved wife, and you wonder what the hell she sees in him? That's exactly what “Kevin Can F*** Himself” is about. Annie Murphy, of “Schitt's Creek” fame, plays Kevin's (Eric Peterson) patient wife Allison, whose reckless and crude tendencies are a brutal satire of… well, pretty much every role Kevin James has ever had.
The show is shot through two very different lenses. When Allison is with Kevin, it plays out like a traditional family sitcom, with bright studio lights and authoritative laughter. But as soon as he leaves the room, it takes on the feel of a raw, desaturated dramedy as Allison begins to realize what an oppressive burden her husband is. Unlike anything else on television, “Kevin Can F*** Himself” is worth watching for Murphy’s increasingly unhinged performance alone.
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“Kill Eve”
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A cat-and-mouse game between a hitwoman and an MI5 agent determined to catch her, Killing Eve is both seductive and disturbing. It does justice to reminding the world of Sandra Oh's singular talent and putting Jodie Comer on the international stage. As the two partners become increasingly intertwined in each other's lives, the danger (and intense sexual tension) escalates for both of them.
And while Killing Eve may not be able to maintain the momentum it gained in its first and second seasons, it remains one of the most ambitious and compelling series of recent years. Both Oh and Comer have been recognized for their work with multiple Emmy nominations, and ultimately a win for Comer in 2019.
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“Black Orphan”
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“Orphan Black” is a TV series with a brilliant concept: a woman discovers that she has multiple doppelgangers and that she and her “sisters” are the result of a cloning experiment. But without Tatiana Maslany in the lead roles, everything falls apart. She gives the performance of her life, playing 17 different characters, each with a different accent and personality. Plus, Maslany is so good at all of the roles that you end up forgetting that she's playing them all.
Over the seasons, “Orphan Black” has expanded dramatically, with expert world-building and ever-rising stakes, creating one of the most narratively satisfying sci-fi dramas in recent memory.
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“Interview with a Vampire”
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Based on Anne Rice's wildly popular novel “Interview with the Vampire,” this series pays homage to both the book series and the 1994 film starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, while also putting its own spin on it. For one, this adaptation of Interview with the Vampire doesn't bother with subtext regarding Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Lestat (Sam Reid), leaving their romantic and sexual relationship as a bare text.
By explicitly explaining what the 1994 film skirted with homoerotic undertones, the series is able to offer a fresh take on the beloved characters that only deepens when young vampire Claudia (Delainey Hayles) is added to the mix.
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“This is going to hurt”
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These days, it feels like one in three shows on television is a medical drama. But we promise you, “This is Going to Hurt” is not like the others. For one thing, it’s more of a medical comedy, with plenty of fourth-wall breaking and far less melodrama than you’d expect from any hospital-set show since “Scrubs.” It also features the talented Ben Whishaw in the lead role, which doesn’t hurt.
Although it only aired for one season on BBC One, it received critical acclaim for its comedic style, with a no-nonsense approach to the world of medicine vaguely reminiscent of the way Armando Iannucci's “The Thick of It” dealt with the world of politics.
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